Device for retrieving and storing and dispensing golf balls



Nov. 29, 1960 w. A. FOWLER ETAL 2,962,321

osvrcs FOR RETRIEVING mo swonmc AND mspsnsmc cow BALLS Filed July 27, 1955 J0 i i IN VEN TORS.

United States Patent 2,962,321 DEVICE For: RETRIEVING, AND STORING AND DISPENSING GOLF BALLS William A. Fowler and Paiil W. Ingliaim, Box 21, both of Roimd Lake, IlL; said'Fowler' 'assignor to said Ingham Filed July 27, 1955, Ser. No. 524,762 10 Claims. Cl. 294-19 This invention pertains to improvements in a device for manually retrieving and storing and dispensing golf balls. More particularly stated, this invention relates to an improved and nia'riiially operable device nsable on golf courses, golfball driving ranges, etc. for picking up golf balls, storing a limited niirnber of golf balls and dispensing-individual golf'balls. I g s The picking up or golfballs by hand is difficult for many individuals who wish to play golf, particularly for those individuals for whom snooping action is bothersorr'ie. Similarly, the picking up of golfballs by hand o'n golf' ball driving ranges is a tedions anddiflioult task.

It-is"therefore an object (if this invention to provide a new and novel and useful improvement in arelatively simple device whieh is easy tooperate and convenient to handle and which, in its preferred form, will not easily corrode, and which may be used by an operator of the device to easily pick up golf-balls and like articles without sto'opirig and may be used to store a convenient number of such golf balls or like articles, as desired, and may be used to dispense the" stored bails or like articles one or more at a time to a desired'predetermined positibil.

The foregoing and other objectives, important novel operational and structural features and advantages of this invention, will become more apparent and be more easily understood upon the examination" of the following description thereof a'rl'd the accdinphnying drawings and appended claiins'. It should, however be understood that, without desire of limitation, the invention will be described and illustrated as the preferred embodiment of the invention in a'golf' ball re'trie vingf-a'nd storing and dispensing device. Certainchanges and variations may suggest themselves to those skilledin the pertinent arts, which changes a'ricl' vari'ations may not, however, depart from the spirit of this inventiesand'may come within the s'copeof the appended clairris.

In the aceompanyiiig'drawing'si' H I Figure 1 is a'front'elev'atiorialyiew of the' lower por tion of the improved device} FigureZ is an elevational viewer a' ormm of the roundtubular storagearid'haiidlt'' elefiient of the improved device; V I

Figure 3 is a view simil'a'nto the' view shown in' Figure l, illustrating two ballsretaine'd in'the 'lower portion of the device; V V

Figure '4 isa view'sirnil'ar' to the view shown in Figure 1, illiistrating the'position' jof' af ballas it is bein'g inserted into or dispensed from" thelower' portion of' the device; and

Figure" 5 is a righthand' side elevational view of the lower portion of theimproved device which is shown in front elevationin Figi'lre" l.

Referringwto the"drawings,'in which like elements aref identified by like numerals,- represents'an' upstanding and elongated 'and tubular retainer, which may, if desired, be made of transparent colored'jplastic material, for receiving and storing and dispensing one or more 2 t golf balls or like articles 11 in single vertical file Re; tainer 10 has a substantially uniform internal diameter of a size equal to the open iewer end ofretainer which lower open end is adapted to freely pass over" golf balls 11 to be handled. The elememio also functions as the handleforthe improved device. g

A substantially ring-shaped reinforcing element}?- secured; aster example, by riveting, to'the lower end of tube'lt) with the lower edgeofelement 12 substantially flush with the lower end of tube,10'. A laterally e3 tendingbracket element I3'isseci1red,as by riveting, t,o the ring-shaped element, 12 and theljowertend of tube 10. A horizontally dispenser pivot element 14 is fixed to and is carried by bracket 13 and is positioned lateral ly from the lower endof tube, 10' and near the lower.

edge of bracket I3, Bracket element .13 includes a. lever stop surfac'e 15 disposed. laterally 'oiitwardly and slightlyabove the pivot element 14;

A ball obstructing or gate element or lever l 6 is ally supported intermediate itslout'er end 17, and its inner 1 8 on theQpiv t 14 on which'it is' pivotable i pwardly and downwardly in rayertieal plane throii'gh a limited arc. The upward tilting" of, the outer portion. of the straight lever lfi isliniitedby eiiga ement of the outer.

portion of the lever- 1'6 with the mot on limiting surface of stop l S, in which positio'rrthe outer end17 of lever l e eri't'ends laterally outward ,in a siilistantially hori zontal position be he bracket 13 and may be easilyengaged by an operator. A tensione'dflsp'rinfg' or like biasing rriember 19 hasjits lower end seeuredto' lever 16 at ontwardlyofnpivot 1 4 andhas'its B1 1 end secured to a e. .13 a .212, T tt lq dSp i 1 96 1 to urge the outer end'joflever 16 Upwardly intohorizontalp'o sitidnagain'st stop 15, When the lever, 16; abuts agai endof tube 10,innnediately above the lower openend of the tube 10, a suflicientdistance ,sothat when lever horizontalfposition the distance between the inner end 18 thereof and the opposite. inner surface of the diameter of a ball 11. Downward, pivoting of the innererid of lthelever 1 6 will extend the lever jo into the passagejor'pa hof mbvenieatiera golf ball 11 passingthro ugh the open lower end of. tnbe 1t until the lever 16 again attains, the horizontal position -of maximun; obstruction ofthe hnrpassgg inthe lower end of tube'10; When in such silbstantially horizontal posi tion', lever l6 wi l fi lgag'e'stop' 15, into ,whi ch;position of stopf' engagement it will have been urged by thefspring' 19, and beyond which horizontal position theend 18 of lever 16 cannot ctmtinuejto, pivot downwardly. h When the lever or gate 16'is1in the horizontal a d. max:

imumob'strueting position with respect to opening in the lower end'o ftube 10 the'fballs 11 retained in thetube' 10 w'ill rest uponfandjbejsiipported by the gate 16, and the weight ,of the ballsll will tendtohold theotiter end of lever 16 againstthe stop 15, therebyflpreventingthe.

weight of the balls 11 from further depressing'the inner end of gate 16 beyond the position of maximum ob'stnietion.

To retract ga te IG, whieh' necessitates the s erm iv'i ing of end 18 thereof, the supported balls 11 must be end 18 of lever 16fe'xtends1 diarne nesny nto thevlo wer;

raised sufliciently to permit the lever 16 to assume the retracted position shown in Figure 4, in which retracted position the balls 11 may freely pass gate 16 to be discharged from or inserted into tube 10. In the event that all the balls 11 are to be dispensed or emptied from tube 10, lever 16 may be held in the mentioned retracted position to permit all the balls 11 to pass at one time through the thus substantially unobstructed lower open end of the tube 10. The balls 11 may, of course, also be emptied from tube through the upper end of tube 10 by sufficiently tilting the tube. In the event that only one ball 11 is to be dispensed from tube 10, then the outer end 17 of lever 16 is rapidly pushed down until the inner end 18 is in retracted position whereupon end 17 is then again quickly released so that the inner end 18 will rapidly return to the horizontal and obstructing position under the influence of the spring 19. During such cycle of movement of the lever 16 one ball will be permitted to pass downwardly beyond the gate or lever 16. To insert a ball resting on the ground into the lower end of tube 10, it is only necessary to center the lower end of the tube 10 over the ball 11 and press downwardly. Such downward pressure on the ball will prevent the escape of the ball and will cause the ball 11 to engage and raise the inner end 18 of lever 16 to the retracted position until the horizontal diameter of the ball 11 has reached a position above the inner end 18 of the retracted lever 16, whereupon the lever 16 will quickly move past the ball and be returned to the horizontal position by the action of spring 19. That operation may be repeated to retrieve as many balls as desired. To accomplish such operation it is obviously necessary that the elevation of the inner end 18 of lever 16, when in retracted position, be spaced from the lower end of tube 10 a distance less than the radius of a ball 11.

From the foregoing description of this invention and from the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that this invention realizes the introductorily enumerated objectives respecting the improvements in the described device. It will similarly be apparent that the invention also possesses the hereinbefore listed advantages and provides a new, novel and useful device for handling golf balls.

Having thus described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention in an improved device for retrieving and storing and dispensing golf balls, the invention is not to be interpreted as being restricted to the specifically illustrated and described embodiment of the invention as set forth in the drawings and as hereinbefore described, except insofar as is necessitated by the appended claims and the disclosures of the prior art.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In combination, a manually portable hand tool including retaining means for articles to be received into and discharged from said retaining means, an opening in said retaining means of a size through which articles to be received and discharged may pass one at a time, movable obstructing means for said opening, said obstructing means being carried by said tool and being adapted to be moved into and retracted from article obstructing position at said opening whereby to obstruct the passage through said opening of an article to be discharged from said retaining means when said obstructing means is in obstructing position, and biasing means carried by said tool for normally biasing said obstructing means to normally maintain said obstructing means in maximum article obstructing position, said obstructing means being movable out of article obstructing position responsive to the pressure of an article being manually pressed thereagainst While said article is being moved into said retaining means through said opening and being movable manually out of obstructing position to discharge retained articles from said retaining means through said opening.

2. In combination, manually portable and manually operable retaining means for articles to be handled, an opening in said retaining means of a size through which 2,962,321 p a V a articles to be handled may freely pass one at a time, movable gate means supported by said retaining means and adapted to be moved into and out of article obstructing position at said opening whereby to obstruct the movement through said opening of an article to be handled when said obstructing means is in obstructing position, biasing means supported by said retaining means and normally biasing said gate means into article obstructing position, and fixed stop means carried by said retaining means and engageable with said gate means to limit the movement of said gate means in one direction when said gate means is in maximum article obstructing position and engages said fixed stop means, said gate means being movable out of article obstructing position responsive to the pressure of an article being manually pressed thereagainst while being moved into said retaining means through said opening and being movable manually out of obstructing position to discharge retained articles from said retaining means through said opening.

3. In combination, an upstanding and slender and manually portable and manually operable retaining means for articles to be handled, an opening in the lower portion of said retaining means of a size through which articles to be handled may freely pass, movable obstructing means pivoted to and carried by said retaining means adjacent said opening to engage and support articles retained in said retaining means immediately above said obstructing means, said obstructing means being adapted to be moved into and retracted from article obstructing position at said opening whereby to obstruct the passage through said opening of articles to be handled when said obstructing means is in obstructing position, and fixed motion limiting means carried by said retaining means and engageable with said obstructing means to prevent the weight of retained articles supported upon said obstructing means from moving said obstructing means out of position in which said opening is obstructed when said fixed motion limiting means is in engagement with said obstructing means, said obstructing means being movable out of article obstructing position responsive to the pressure of an article to be handled while being manually pressed thereagainst while being moved into said retaining means through said opening and being movable manually out of obstructing position to discharge retained articles from said retaining means through said opening.

4. A ball retrieving and storing and dispensing device of the manually portable and manually operable type, comprising, in combination, an upstanding and manually portable retaining means for balls to be handled, an opening in the lower portion of said retaining means of a size through which a ball to be handled may freely pass, movable gate means carried by said retaining means and pivoted thereto adjacent said opening to engage and support a ball resting upon said gate means when said gate means is in ball obstructing position, said gate means being pivotable to move a ball supported thereby out of the path of pivoting of said gate means and being pivotable to retract said gate means out of the path of movement of a ball passing through said opening, whereby a ball may freely pass through said opening when said gate means is pivoted to a retracted position, said gate means being pivotable out of ball obstructing position responsive to the pressure of a ball being manually pressed thereagainst while being moved into said retaining means through said opening and being movable manually out of obstructing position to discharge retained balls from said retaining means through said opening.

5. A ball retrieving and storing and dispensing device of the manually portable and manually operable type, comprising, in combination, an upstanding and manually portable retaining means for balls to be handled, an opening in the lower portion of said retaining means of a size through which a ball to be handled may freely pass, movable gate means carried by said retaining means and pivoted thereto adjacent said opening to engage and support a ballrestingu'pon said gate means whensaidgate means is-in ball obstructing position, said gate means beingpivotable upwardly to move a ball supported thereby upwardly out of the path of pivoting of said gate means and to retract said gate means upwardly out of said obstructing position in the path of movement of a ball passing through said opening and said gate means being pivotable downwardly from the upwardly pivoted position to thus return said gate means to said obstructing position, whereby when said gate means is pivoted upwardly to a retracted position a ball may freely pass through said opening and when said gate means is pivoted downwardly from a retracted position to said ohstructing position said opening will be thereby obstructed to the movement of a ball therethrough, said gate means being movable out of ball obstructing position responsive to the pressure of a ball being manually pressed thereagainst while being moved into said retaining means through said opening and being movable manually out of obstructing position to discharge retained balls from said retaining means through said opening.

6. A ball retrieving and storing and dispensing device of the manually portable and the manually operable type, comprising, in combination, an upstanding and manually operable retaining means for balls to be handled, an opening in the lower portion of said retaining means of a size through which a ball to be handled may freely pass, movable gate means carried by said retaining means and pivoted thereto adjacent said opening to engage and support a ball resting upon said gate means when said gate means is in ball obstructing position, said gate means being pivotable upwardly to move a ball supported thereby upwardly out of the path of pivoting of said gate means and to retract said gate means upwardly out of said obstructing position in the path of movement of a ball passing through said opening and said gate means being pivotable downwardly from the upwardly pivoted position to thus return said gate means to said obstructing position, stop means carried by said retaining means to limit the movement of said gate means in one direction when said gate means is in said obstructing position, whereby when said gate means is pivoted upwardly to a retracted position a ball may freely pass through said opening and when said gate means is pivoted downwardly from a retracted position to said obstructing position said opening will be thereby obstructed to the movement of a ball therethrough and the lowermost retained ball will be supported upon said gate means, said gate means being movable out of ball obstructing position responsive to the pressure of a ball being manually pressed thereagainst while being moved into said retaining means through said opening and being movable manually out of obstructing position to discharge retained balls from said retaining means through said opening.

7. A ball retrieving and storing and dispensing device, comprising, in combination, an upstanding retaining means for balls to be handled, an opening in the lower portion of said retaining means of a size through which a ball to be handled may freely pass, movable gate means pivoted to said retaining means adjacent said opening to engage and support a ball resting upon said gate means when said gate means is in ball obstructing position, said gate means being pivotable upwardly and downwardly to move a ball supported thereby upwardly out of the path of pivoting of said gate means and to retract said gate means upwardly out of said obstructing position in the path of movement of a ball passing through said opening and to return said gate means to said obstructing posi tion, stop means to limit the movement of said gate means in one direction when said gate means is in said obstructing position, biasing means normally biasing said gate means into ball obstructing and supporting position, whereby when said gate means is pivoted upwardly to a retracted position a ball may freely pass through said opening and when said gate means is pivoted downwardly from a retracted position said opening will be thereby obstructed to-the movement ofa' ball therethrough and the lowermost retained ball will besupported upon saidan outerend and having said inner end of said lever" means disposed adjacent and above the opening'in the lower portion of said retaining means and normally extending into the path' of movement ofa. ball passing through said opening and having said outer end'of said lever means'disposed outwardly of the point of pivoting and below and adapted to engage a stop means, stop meansfixed to and carried by 'said' retaining means, and biasing means normally biasing said outer end of' said" lever means against said stop means, whereby upon the pivoting of said outer end of said lever means away from said stop means said inner end of said lever means will be pivoted out of the path of movement of a ball moving through said opening in the lower portion of said retaining means.

9. A retrieving and storing and dispensing device, comprising, in combination, retaining means for articles to be retrieved and dispensed, said retaining means having an opening in the lower portion thereof of a size through which said articles to be retrieved and dispensed may freely pass, lever means carried by pivot means and pivotably mounted upon said retaining means adjacent the opening in the lower portion of said retaining means, said lever means having an inner end and an outer end and having the inner end thereof disposed above and adjacent the opening in the 'lower portion of said retaining means and normally extending into the path of movement which would be followed by an article passing into said opening while being retrieved and having the outer end thereof disposed outwardly of the point of pivoting and normally disposed against stop means supported on said retaining means, biasing means urging said outer end of said lever means against said stop means, said lever means and said pivot means and said stop means and said biasing means and the opening in the lower end of said retaining means being so constructed and arranged that upon the pivoting of the outer end of said lever means away from said stop means against the bias of said biasing means the inner end of said lever means will be removed from the path of movement of articles moving through said opening to permit an article to pass through said opening and upon the rapid depression of the outer end of said lever means against the bias of said biasing means and the subsequent rapid return of said outer end of said lever means against said stop means the inner end of said lever means will be rapidly and simultaneously retracted from article obstructing position and then returned to article obstructing position in a cycle of movement to permit the dispensing of an article from said retainer when said inner end of said lever means is retracted from article obstructing position.

10. A golf ball retrieving and storing and dispensing device, comprising, in combination, an upstanding and elongated and tubular retainer for golf balls to receive a. series of golf balls in single vertical file and having an open lower end of a size through which a golf ball may freely pass and having a substantially uniform inner diameter of substantially the same size as said open lower end, laterally extending bracket means including stop means fixed to the lower end of said retainer outwardly thereof, substantially horizontally disposed pivot means fixed to said bracket means, lever means pivoted on said pivot means and pivotable in a substantially vertical plane and having an inner end and an outer end, spring means engaging said bracket means and said lever means and biasing the outer end of said lever means into engagement with said stop means, the inner end of said lever means being disposed above said lower open end of said retainer and being extendable by the downward pivotable movement thereof from a retracted elevated position wherein the path of movement of a golf ball through the open lower end of said retainer is free of obstruction to a substantially horizontal position wherein the depressed inner end of said lever means obstructs the path of movement of a golf ball through the open lower end of said retainer and the lowermost golf ball in said retainer rests upon and is supported upon the inner end of said lever means and the outer end of said lever means is simultaneously pivoted upwardly from a depressed position into engagement with said stop means when the inner end of said lever means assumes a substantially horizontal position, said lever means and said stop means and said pivot means and the lower open end of said retainer being so constructed and arranged that the inner end of said lever means is precluded from pivoting downwardly beyond a position wherein the inner end of said lever means obstructs the path of movement of a golf ball through the opening at the lower end of said retainer and the inner end of said lever means may be shifted to regulate the movement of a golf ball into and out of said retainer through the open lower end of said retainer and supports the balls retained in said retainer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 909,289 Grisell et a1. Jan. 12, 1909 1,227,032 Beckett May 22, 1917 1,875,174 McGivern Aug. 30, 1932 1,898,328 Wiley Feb. 21, 1933 1,937,828 Macdonald Dec. 5, 1933 2,027,546 Macdonald Jan. 14, 1936 2,203,170 Macdonald June 4, 1940 2,551,486 Burden May 1, 1951 

